Hancock’s Past Includes Working As A Broncos Mascot

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DENVER (CBS4) – We’ve referred to Denver Mayor Michael Hancock as the Broncos No. 1 fan before here on CBSDenver.com, and part of the root of his enthusiasm for the team was revealed this week.

In 1986 the NFL featured a mascot named Huddles, and each team had its own version. While John Elway was guiding the team on the field as quarterback, the Broncos version of Huddles rallied on the crowd and gave high fives to the players.

Hancock told CBS4 that when he was 17 when he took the job of being the person who dressed up as Huddles. Although at first he he admits he wasn’t sure about what he was getting himself into.

“At first I said ‘Who’s Huddles?’ ” he said.

Michael Hancock (credit: CBS)

The team went to the Super Bowl that year, and Huddles got to go along, too. The game was played between the Broncos and the Giants, and took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

“To have my own hotel room at 17? A beautiful hotel room in Newport Beach, California, was unbelievable, and something that coming out of Five Points I couldn’t have imagined,” Hancock said.

Hancock grew up in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. At that time, he probably also couldn’t have imagined that he would be the city’s mayor and would be heading to another Super Bowl to cheer on the Broncos (though not in costume this time). Or that he would be bringing along his 75-year-old mother.

Michael Hancock (credit: CBS)

Hancock joked with CBS4’s Suzanne McCarroll and said he’s fine with the nickname “Mayor Huddles.”

“For a 17-year-old to get to be around his hometown heroes, it was a dream come true,” said Hancock.

The Broncos will play the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.